Motorized dolly

ABSTRACT

A motorized dolly includes an elongated frame, a first and second arc-shaped rail, a first and second pulley, a continuous belt, a motor, a platform, a first and second set of rollers or wheels, a fastener and one or more controls. The first arc-shaped rail has a first radius to a point in space. The second arc-shaped rail has a second radius greater than the first radius. The first and second pulleys are attached to the elongated frame proximate to each end. The continuous belt is movably attached to the first pulley and the second pulley. The motor is operably engaged with the first pulley, the second pulley or the continuous belt. The first and second set of rollers or wheels are attached to the platform and movably engaged with the first and second rails, respectively. The fastener securely is attached to the platform and the continuous belt.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This non-provisional Patent Application claims priority to U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/701,162, filed Sep. 14, 2012,entitled “Automated Camera Dolly,” the contents of which is incorporatedby reference herein in its entirety.

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIALS FILED ON COMPACT DISC

None.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to the track and dolly systemsfor moving a device.

STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH

None.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is describedin connection with camera dollies. Existing camera dollies, except forcustom dollies used in the motion picture industry, use straight tracks.This requires a person to move the camera and another person to focusthe camera.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention allows a device, such as a camera, to be operatedon a dolly without any operator controlling pan/tilt/focus. As a cameramoves on a curved track, the curved track keeps the camera on thesubject at a specific distance. This eliminates the need for extrapeople to handle panning, tilting, and focusing. As a result, a singleperson can conduct a camera shot by them without any assistance.Moreover, the device dolly is self-contained and easily transportable.

The present invention provides a motorized dolly that includes anelongated base, a first and second arc-shaped rail, a first and secondpulley, a continuous belt, a motor, a platform, a first and second setof rollers or wheels, a fastener and one or more controls. The elongatedbase has a top surface and a longitudinal axis extending between a firstend and a second end. The first arc-shaped rail is attached to the topsurface of the elongated base and has a first radius to a point in spacesubstantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The secondarc-shaped rail is attached to the top surface of the elongated base andhas a second radius greater than the first radius. The first pulley isattached to the top surface of the elongated base proximate to the firstend. The second pulley is attached to the top surface of the elongatedbase proximate to the second end. The continuous belt is movablyattached to the first pulley and the second pulley. The motor isoperably engaged with the first pulley, the second pulley or thecontinuous belt. The platform has a bottom surface and a top surface.The first set of rollers or wheels are attached to the bottom surface ofthe platform and are movably engaged with the first rail. The second setof rollers or wheels are attached to the bottom surface of the platformand are movably engaged with the second rail. The fastener is securelyattached to the bottom surface of the platform and the continuous belt.The one or more controls are electrically connected to the motor.

In addition, the present invention provides a motorized dolly thatincludes an elongated frame, a first and second arc-shaped rail, a firstand second pulley, a continuous belt, a motor, a platform, a first andsecond set of rollers or wheels, a fastener and one or more controls.The elongated frame has a longitudinal axis extending between a firstend and a second end. The first arc-shaped rail is attached to theelongated frame and has a first radius to a point in space substantiallyperpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The second arc-shaped rail isattached to the elongated frame and has a second radius greater than thefirst radius. The first pulley is attached to the elongated frameproximate to the first end. The second pulley is attached to theelongated frame proximate to the second end. The continuous belt ismovably attached to the first pulley and the second pulley. The motor isoperably engaged with the first pulley, the second pulley or thecontinuous belt. The first set of rollers or wheels is attached to theplatform and movably engaged with the first rail. The second set ofrollers or wheels is attached to the platform and movably engaged withthe second rail. The fastener securely is attached to the platform andthe continuous belt. The one or more controls are electrically connectedto the motor.

Moreover, the present invention provides a motorized dolly that includesan elongated frame having a longitudinal axis extending between a firstend and a second end, one or more arc-shaped rails attached to theelongated frame and having a radius to a point in space substantiallyperpendicular to the longitudinal axis, a platform movably connected tothe one or more arc-shaped rails, means for moving the platform alongthe one or more arc-shaped rails, a motor operably engaged with themoving means, and one or more controls electrically connected to themotor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the features and advantages of thepresent invention, reference is now made to the detailed description ofthe invention along with the accompanying figures and in which:

FIG. 1 is an exposed top view of a motorized dolly in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the motorized dolly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear cross-sectional view of the motorized dolly of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4-5 are photographs of a motorized dolly in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a photograph of a battery adapter for use with a motorizeddolly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is diagram demonstrating a placement and use of a motorized dollyin accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 8A-8B are photographs of one or more controls for a motorizeddolly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a motorized dolly in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While the making and using of various embodiments of the presentinvention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated thatthe present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts thatcan be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specificembodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways tomake and use the invention and do not delimit the scope of theinvention.

To facilitate the understanding of this invention, a number of terms aredefined below. Terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understoodby a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the presentinvention. Terms such as “a”, “an” and “the” are not intended to referto only a singular entity, but include the general class of which aspecific example may be used for illustration. The terminology herein isused to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usagedoes not delimit the invention, except as outlined in the claims.

The present invention provides a self-contained motorized dolly withcurved track for a device, such as a camera. As the camera moves on thetrack, the curved track keeps the camera on the subject at a specificdistance to a point in space. This eliminates the need for extra peopleto handle panning, tilting, and focusing. An operator can turn on thedevice, set the speed, and the camera will dolly left and right untilthe device turns off. The camera will stay focus on the subject theentire time.

Now referring to FIGS. 1-3, various views of a motorized dolly 100 inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention is shown. Themotorized dolly 100 includes an elongated base 102, a first arc-shapedrail 104, a second arc-shaped rail 106, a first pulley 108, a secondpulley 110, a continuous belt 112, a motor 114, a platform 116, a firstset of rollers or wheels 118, a second set of rollers or wheels 120, afastener 122 and one or more controls 124 (not shown). The elongatedbase 102 has a top surface 126 and a longitudinal axis 128 extendingbetween a first end 130 and a second end 132. The first arc-shaped rail104 is attached to the top surface 126 of the elongated base 102 and hasa first radius R₁ to a point in space or subject 134 substantiallyperpendicular to the longitudinal axis 128. A specified distance fromthe center of the platform 116 to the point is space or subject 134 isD. The second arc-shaped rail 106 is attached to the top surface 126 ofthe elongated base 102 and has a second radius R₂ greater than the firstradius R₁. The first pulley 108 is attached to the top surface 126 ofthe elongated base 102 proximate to the first end 130. The second pulley110 is attached to the top surface 126 of the elongated base 102proximate to the second end 132. The continuous belt 112 is movablyattached to the first pulley 108 and the second pulley 110. The motor132 (e.g., a variable speed motor or drive unit, etc.) is operablyengaged with the first pulley 108, the second pulley 110 (as shown) orthe continuous belt 112. The platform 116 has a bottom surface 136 and atop surface 138. The first set of rollers or wheels 118 are attached tothe bottom surface 136 of the platform 116 and are movably engaged withthe first rail 104. The second set of rollers or wheels 120 are attachedto the bottom surface 136 of the platform 116 and are movably engagedwith the second rail 106. The fastener 122 is securely attached to thebottom surface 136 of the platform 116 and the continuous belt 112. Theone or more controls 124 (not shown) are electrically connected to themotor 132 and will be discussed below in reference to FIGS. 8A-8B. Apower source (not shown) is connected to the motor 132. The power sourcecan be an AC-to-DC adapter, one or more batteries, one or morephotovoltaic cells or a combination thereof. For example, FIG. 6 is aphotograph of a battery adapter (D-Tap cable) for use with a D-Tapbattery source. Other types of power sources and adapters can be used.

Briefly referring to FIGS. 4-5, a device 402, such as a camera, lightsource, scientific instrument or other desirable object or device can beattached to, mounted on or otherwise placed on the top surface 136 ofthe platform 116 using one or more connectors 404, such as a tilt headas shown. Other types of connectors or fasteners can be used toremovably and securely attach the device 402 to the top surface 136 ofthe platform 116. One or more level indicators (not shown) can beattached to or integrated into the tilt head, elongated base 102 orelongated frame 406. In addition, a housing, enclosure or frame 406 canbe attached to the elongated base 102 and at least partially enclosingthe first and second arc-shaped rails 104 and 106, the first and secondpulleys 108 and 110, the continuous belt 112, the motor 114, the firstand second set of rollers or wheels 116 and 118, and the clamp 122. Theplatform 116 can be disposed within the housing 406 and at least aportion of the top surface 138 of the platform 116 is accessible fromoutside of the housing 406, or the platform 116 is disposed outside ofthe housing 406.

Referring back to FIGS. 1-3, the first and second arc-shaped rails 104and 106 can be attached to the top surface 126 of the elongated base 102via supports 140 (as shown), direct attachment or suitable methods. Eacharc-shaped rail 104 or 106 can have a circular (as shown), oval,elliptical, triangular, square, polygon, I or L-shaped cross-section.Each set of rollers or wheels 118 or 120 may include two, three, four ormore rollers or wheels. Each roller or wheel has a groove 142 adapted tofit the first or second arc-shaped rails 104 and 106. The term roller orwheel can also mean a gear, cogwheel, sprocket or other device to causethe platform 116 to move along the arc-shaped rails 104 and 106. Thecontinuous belt 112 can be ribbed belt, a toothed belt, a V-belt, amulti-grooved belt, a cable, a chain or other suitable movementmechanism. The fastener 122 can be a clamp, a bolt, a clip, a pin, arivet, a snap, a staple or a combination thereof. Other types ofpermanent or removable fasteners can be used. A set of legs orrubberized feet (not shown) can be attached to a bottom surface 144 ofthe elongated base 102. In addition, a fitting, such as connector oradapter, (not shown) can be attached to or integrated into the bottomsurface 144 of the elongated base 102 to secure the motorized dolly 100to a tripod or stand. In another embodiment, the first and secondarc-shaped rails 104 and 106 can be adjustable such that the specifieddistance D from the center of the platform 116 to the point is space orsubject 134 can be changed.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-5, photographs of a motorized dolly 400 inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention are shown. Themotorized dolly 400 includes an elongated frame (open or enclosed suchas 406), a first and second arc-shaped rail (not shown), a first andsecond pulley (not shown), a continuous belt (not shown), a motor (notshown), a platform (not shown), a first and second set of rollers orwheels (not shown), a fastener (not shown) and one or more controls 124.The elongated frame 406 has a longitudinal axis (not shown) extendingbetween a first end 130 and a second end 132. The first arc-shaped railis attached to the elongated frame 402 and has a first radius to a pointin space substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. Thesecond arc-shaped rail is attached to the elongated frame 402 and has asecond radius greater than the first radius. The first pulley isattached to the elongated frame 402 proximate to the first end 130. Thesecond pulley is attached to the elongated frame 402 proximate to thesecond end 132. The continuous belt is moveably attached to the firstpulley and the second pulley. The motor is operably engaged with thefirst pulley, the second pulley or the continuous belt. The first set ofrollers or wheels is attached to the platform and moveably engaged withthe first rail. The second set of rollers or wheels is attached to theplatform and moveably engaged with the second rail. The fastenersecurely is attached to the platform and the continuous belt. The one ormore controls 124 are electrically connected to the motor. The first andsecond arc-shaped rails, the first and second pulleys and the motor canbe attached to a bottom portion of the elongated frame 402, a topportion of the elongated frame 402, a side portion of the elongatedframe 402 or a combination thereof.

As shown, the elongated frame 406 completely encloses the first andsecond arc-shaped rails, the first and second pulleys, the continuousbelt, the motor, the first and second set of rollers or wheels and thefastener. Elongated opening 408 allows the device 402 to be connected tothe platform. Alternatively, the elongated frame 402 can at leastpartially enclose one or more of the components. As shown, the platformis disposed within the elongated frame 406 and at least a portion of theplatform is accessible from outside of the elongated frame 406.Alternatively, all or port of the platform can be disposed outside ofthe elongated frame 406. A set of legs or rubberized feet (not shown)can be attached to a bottom surface of the elongated frame 406. Inaddition, a fitting, such as connector or adapter, (not shown) (e.g., anintegrated ¼″-20 and ⅜″-16 cheese plate) can be attached to orintegrated into the bottom surface of the elongated frame 406 to securethe motorized dolly 400 to a tripod or stand 410. One or more handles(not shown) can be attached to the elongated frame 406.

The one or more controls 124 are located at the second end 132, but canbe located anywhere on the motorized dolly 400. The one or more controls124 smoothly transition the motor from a clockwise rotation to acounter-clockwise rotation and vise versa. The one or more controls 124will be described in more detail in reference to FIGS. 8A-8B. Asillustrated in FIG. 7, the motorized dolly 400 includes one or morelasers attached to the elongated frame 406 and aligned to project two ormore laser beams through openings or ports 412 that are spaced apartfrom one another and converge approximately at the point in space orsubject 134.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 4-5 is extremely portable. Weighing in atapproximately 14 pounds with the body dimensions of approximately46″×9″×4″, and the added convenience of a durable canvas carrying case,the motorized dolly can be taken anywhere a person needs to go. Themotorized dolly is ideal for corporate, documentary, interviews, andproduct/tabletop photography where smooth, controlled, and repeatablemotion creates that extra sparkle in your product shots. The motorizeddolly can be used on the main camera when alone for a high-endproduction feel, or use with a second camera for cutting between shotswith beautiful high quality movement. Moreover, more than one motorizeddolly can be used in multi-camera shoots for getting those extra shotsthat make the difference.

The motorized dolly can be unpacked, setup, and ready to shoot in undertwo minutes by a single person thanks to a lightweight self-containeddesign, intuitive laser alignment guides, and push button ease of use.The motorized dolly does the rest, delivering smooth, controlled cameramotion for that high-end production feel. Once set up, the subject staysin focus and stationary in the frame without any operator assistance.Push-button ease of use means you are getting the shot, not fiddlingwith controls and programming while everyone is waiting. The motor,platform and track system are nearly silent so that the motorized dollyis quiet enough to be used with audio.

More specifically, the technical specifications for one embodiment ofthe present invention are:

-   -   Track length: 36″    -   Set custom end points: yes    -   Speed control: real-time wheel controlled    -   Leveling assist: bubble level    -   Automatic track: yes    -   Manual track: yes    -   Maximum camera weight limit: 20+ lbs    -   Support options: centered bottom plate with tripod mount holes        (¼″ and ⅜″), rubberized corner feet for tabletop or ground    -   Accessory mounts: integrated ⅜″ and ¼″ female mounting points on        rear    -   Camera head: heavy load tilt head    -   Alignment setup: laser assisted with on/off toggle    -   Carrying handle: integrated soft handle    -   Power: AC (universal adapter included) or D-tap battery (with        optional cable)    -   Dimensions: 9″×3.25″×46″    -   Weight: 14.5 lbs including tilt head

Now referring to FIG. 7, a diagram demonstrating a placement and use ofa motorized dolly 100 or 400 in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention is shown. The motorized dolly 100 or 400 is designedto keep a subject 134 both in focus and stationary in the frame whileproviding cinematic movement to foreground and background objects. Thisresults in added production value to any interview or product shoot,without the need for an additional operator. The motorized dolly 100 or400 uses a set of high-powered lasers that are visible in allenvironments. Once turned on, the lasers will converge on a subject atprecisely six feet away (D) as illustrated by lines 700. The greater thedistance the subject 134 is from the suggested six feet, which isindicated by the sharp zone 704, the greater amount the subject willmove across the frame through the motion, which is indicated by the softzone 706. Focus will also be affected by the available depth of field.The motorized dolly 100 or 400 can be designed or adjusted to have a Dother than six feet (e.g., four feet, ten feet, twenty-five feet, fiftyfeet, etc).

Referring now to FIGS. 8A-8B, photographs of one or more controls for amotorized dolly 100 or 400 in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention are shown. 17. The one or more controls 124 smoothlytransition the variable speed motor from a clockwise rotation to acounter-clockwise rotation and vise versa. In other words, the motor isramped down and up making every second of the footage captured from themotorized dolly 100 or 400 usable in the final product. The one or morecontrols 124 may include a directional control (left=800 a, right 800 b)connected to the motor, a speed control 802 connected to the motor, or amulti-mode switch 804 having an automatic operating mode and a manualoperating mode. The speed control 802 shown as a variable speed wheelcan the platform travel speed on the fly while the system is running.The one or more controls 124 may also include an on/off switch 806 forthe laser(s), various indicator lights, a button 808 to select travellimits to choose a smaller portion of the track as desired, and anyother desirable controls. A communications interface (not shown) can beconnected to the one or more controls 124 to provide remote (wiredand/or wireless) control and/or monitoring of the motorized dolly 100 or400. A monitor can also be attached to the elongated base andcommunicably coupled to the camera so that the operator can easily seewhat is being recorded by the camera.

The one or more controls 124 are simple and intuitive, so a person canbegin working with the motorized dolly right out of the box. It featuresa clearly marked variable speed dial, direction controls, and automaticfunctionality. It also features laser guides to accurately set distanceto subject. Moreover, the one or more controls know when to ease themotor in and out when it changes direction so footage is not lost tobumps and shakes. The motorized dolly's heavy-duty tilt head includesprecision markings and a bullseye level for precise, repeatable shots.It will mount to any camera or baseplate. The body will mount to anytripod. In addition, the motorized dolly can be tapped ready for theaddition of an external monitor. Ideally, the external monitor isstationary as opposed to attached to the moving camera itself. Thisprovides a better reference of the final product for the shooter.

Now referring to FIG. 9, a block diagram of a motorized dolly 900 inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention is shown. Themotorized dolly 900 includes an elongated frame 902 having alongitudinal axis 128 extending between a first end 130 and a second end132, one or more arc-shaped rails 904 attached to the elongated frameand having a radius R to a point in space 134 substantiallyperpendicular to the longitudinal axis 128, a platform 1186 moveablyconnected to the one or more arc-shaped rails 904, means 906 for movingthe platform along the one or more arc-shaped rails 904, a motor 114operably engaged with the moving means 906, and one or more controls 124electrically connected to the motor 114. The one or more arc-shapedrails 904 can be adjustable using one or more suitable manual,mechanical or electrical mechanisms to vary the radius R as shown bypositions 904 ₁, 904 ₂ and 904 ₃.

It will be understood that particular embodiments described herein areshown by way of illustration and not as limitations of the invention.The principal features of this invention can be employed in variousembodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Thoseskilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no morethan routine experimentation, numerous equivalents to the specificprocedures described herein. Such equivalents are considered to bewithin the scope of this invention and are covered by the claims.

All publications and patent applications mentioned in the specificationare indicative of the level of skill of those skilled in the art towhich this invention pertains. All publications and patent applicationsare herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if eachindividual publication or patent application was specifically andindividually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

The use of the word “a” or “an” when used in conjunction with the term“comprising” in the claims and/or the specification may mean “one,” butit is also consistent with the meaning of “one or more,” “at least one,”and “one or more than one.” The use of the term “or” in the claims isused to mean “and/or” unless explicitly indicated to refer toalternatives only or the alternatives are mutually exclusive, althoughthe disclosure supports a definition that refers to only alternativesand “and/or.” Throughout this application, the term “about” is used toindicate that a value includes the inherent variation of error for thedevice, the method being employed to determine the value, or thevariation that exists among the study subjects.

As used in this specification and claim(s), the words “comprising” (andany form of comprising, such as “comprise” and “comprises”), “having”(and any form of having, such as “have” and “has”), “including” (and anyform of including, such as “includes” and “include”) or “containing”(and any form of containing, such as “contains” and “contain”) areinclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecitedelements or method steps.

The term “or combinations thereof” as used herein refers to allpermutations and combinations of the listed items preceding the term.For example, “A, B, C, or combinations thereof” is intended to includeat least one of: A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, or ABC, and if order is importantin a particular context, also BA, CA, CB, CBA, BCA, ACB, BAC, or CAB.Continuing with this example, expressly included are combinations thatcontain repeats of one or more item or term, such as BB, AAA, AB, BBC,AAABCCCC, CBBAAA, CABABB, and so forth. The skilled artisan willunderstand that typically there is no limit on the number of items orterms in any combination, unless otherwise apparent from the context.

All of the compositions and/or methods disclosed and claimed herein canbe made and executed without undue experimentation in light of thepresent disclosure. While the compositions and methods of this inventionhave been described in terms of preferred embodiments, it will beapparent to those of skill in the art that variations may be applied tothe compositions and/or methods and in the steps or in the sequence ofsteps of the method described herein without departing from the concept,spirit and scope of the invention. All such similar substitutes andmodifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to bewithin the spirit, scope and concept of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A motorized dolly comprising: an elongated basehaving a top surface and a longitudinal axis extending between a firstend and a second end; a first arc-shaped rail attached to the topsurface of the elongated base and having a first radius to a point inspace substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; a secondarc-shaped rail attached to the top surface of the elongated base andhaving a second radius greater than the first radius; a first pulleyattached to the top surface of the elongated base proximate to the firstend; a second pulley attached to the top surface of the elongated baseproximate to the second end; a continuous belt moveably attached to thefirst pulley and the second pulley; a motor operably engaged with thefirst pulley, the second pulley or the continuous belt; a platformhaving a bottom surface and a top surface; a first set of rollers orwheels attached to the bottom surface of the platform and moveablyengaged with the first rail; a second set of rollers or wheels attachedto the bottom surface of the platform and moveably engaged with thesecond rail; a fastener securely attached to the bottom surface of theplatform and the continuous belt; and one or more controls electricallyconnected to the motor.
 2. The motorized dolly as recited in claim 1,further comprising a housing attached to the elongated base and at leastpartially enclosing the first and second arc-shaped rails, the first andsecond pulleys, the continuous belt, the motor, the first and second setof rollers or wheels and the clamp.
 3. The motorized dolly as recited inclaim 2, wherein the platform is disposed within the housing and atleast a portion of the top surface of the platform is accessible fromoutside of the housing, or the platform is disposed outside of thehousing.
 4. The motorized dolly as recited in claim 1, wherein: thefastener comprises a clamp, a bolt, a clip, a pin, a rivet, a snap, astaple or a combination thereof; the continuous belt comprises a ribbedbelt, a toothed belt, a V-belt, a multi-grooved belt, a cable or achain; each rail has a circular, oval, elliptical, triangular, square,polygon, I or L-shaped cross-section; each set of rollers or wheelscomprise two, three or four rollers or wheels; and each roller or wheelhas a groove adapted to fit the first or second arc-shaped rails.
 5. Themotorized dolly as recited in claim 1, further comprising a tilt headconnected to the top surface of the platform and having one or moreconnectors to removeably and securely attach a device to the tilt head.6. The motorized dolly as recited in claim 5, further comprising a levelindicator integrated into the tilt head.
 7. The motorized dolly asrecited in claim 5, wherein the device comprises a camera, a lightsource, or a scientific instrument.
 8. The motorized dolly as recited inclaim 1, further comprising one or more connectors attached to theplatform to removeably and securely attach a device to the top surfaceof the platform.
 9. The motorized dolly as recited in claim 1, furthercomprising a camera attached to the top surface of the platform, and amonitor attached to the elongated base and communicably coupled to thecamera.
 10. The motorized dolly as recited in claim 1, furthercomprising a communications interface connected to the one or morecontrols.
 11. The motorized dolly as recited in claim 1, wherein the oneor more controls comprise: a directional control connected to the motor;a speed control connected to the motor; or a multi-mode switch having anautomatic operating mode and a manual operating mode.
 12. The motorizeddolly as recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more lasersattached to the elongated base and aligned to project two or more laserbeams that are spaced apart from one another at the elongated base andconverge approximately at the point in space.
 13. The motorized dolly asrecited in claim 1, further comprising a set of legs or rubberized feetattached to a bottom surface of the elongated base.
 14. The motorizeddolly as recited in claim 1, further comprising a fitting attached to abottom surface of the elongated base to secure the motorized dolly to atripod or stand.
 15. The motorized dolly as recited in claim 1, furthercomprising a level indicator attached to or integrated into theelongated base or the platform.
 16. The motorized dolly as recited inclaim 1, wherein the motor comprises a variable speed motor.
 17. Themotorized dolly as recited in claim 16, wherein the one or more controlssmoothly transition the variable speed motor from a clockwise rotationto a counter-clockwise rotation and vise versa.
 18. The motorized dollyas recited in claim 1, further comprising a handle attached to theelongated base.
 19. The motorized dolly as recited in claim 1, furthercomprising a power source connected to the motor.
 20. The motorizeddolly as recited in claim 19, wherein the power source comprises anAC-to-DC adapter, one or more batteries, one or more photovoltaic cellsor a combination thereof.
 21. The motorized dolly as recited in claim 1,wherein the first radius of the first arc-shaped rail and the secondradius of the second arc-shaped rail are adjustable.
 22. A motorizeddolly comprising: an elongated frame having a longitudinal axisextending between a first end and a second end; a first arc-shaped railattached to the elongated frame and having a first radius to a point inspace substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; a secondarc-shaped rail attached to the elongated frame and having a secondradius greater than the first radius; a first pulley attached to theelongated frame proximate to the first end; a second pulley attached tothe elongated frame proximate to the second end; a continuous beltmoveably attached to the first pulley and the second pulley; a motoroperably engaged with the first pulley, the second pulley or thecontinuous belt; a platform; a first set of rollers or wheels attachedto the platform and moveably engaged with the first rail; a second setof rollers or wheels attached to the platform and moveably engaged withthe second rail; a fastener securely attached to the platform and thecontinuous belt; and one or more controls electrically connected to themotor.
 23. The motorized dolly as recited in claim 22, wherein the firstand second arc-shaped rails, the first and second pulleys and the motorare attached to a bottom portion of the elongated frame, a top portionof the elongated frame, a side portion of the elongated frame or acombination thereof.
 24. The motorized dolly as recited in claim 22,wherein the elongated frame at least partially encloses the first andsecond arc-shaped rails, the first and second pulleys, the continuousbelt, the motor, the first and second set of rollers or wheels and thefastener.
 25. The motorized dolly as recited in claim 22, wherein theplatform is disposed within the elongated frame and at least a portionof the platform is accessible from outside of the elongated frame, orthe platform is disposed outside of the elongated frame.
 26. Themotorized dolly as recited in claim 22, further comprising one or morelasers attached to the elongated frame and aligned to project two ormore laser beams that are spaced apart from one another at the elongatedframe and converge approximately at the point in space.
 27. Themotorized dolly as recited in claim 22, wherein the one or more controlssmoothly transition the motor from a clockwise rotation to acounter-clockwise rotation and vise versa.
 28. The motorized dolly asrecited in claim 22, wherein the first radius of the first arc-shapedrail and the second radius of the second arc-shaped rail are adjustable.29. The motorized dolly as recited in claim 22, further comprising ahousing attached to the elongated base and at least partially enclosingthe first and second arc-shaped rails, the first and second pulleys, thecontinuous belt, the motor, the first and second set of rollers orwheels and the clamp.
 30. The motorized dolly as recited in claim 22,wherein: the fastener comprises a clamp, a bolt, a clip, a pin, a rivet,a snap, a staple or a combination thereof; the continuous belt comprisesa ribbed belt, a toothed belt, a V-belt, a multi-grooved belt, a cableor a chain; each rail has a circular, oval, elliptical, triangular,square, polygon, I or L-shaped cross-section; each set of rollers orwheels comprise two, three or four rollers or wheels; and each roller orwheel has a groove adapted to fit the first or second arc-shaped rails.31. The motorized dolly as recited in claim 22, further comprising: atilt head connected to the top surface of the platform and having one ormore connectors to removeably and securely attach a device to the tilthead; a level indicator integrated into the tilt head; and the devicecomprises a camera, a light source, or a scientific instrument.
 32. Themotorized dolly as recited in claim 22, further comprising: one or moreconnectors attached to the platform to removeably and securely attach adevice to the top surface of the platform; the device comprises acamera, a light source, or a scientific instrument; a monitor attachedto the elongated base and communicably coupled to the device; and acommunications interface connected to the one or more controls.
 33. Themotorized dolly as recited in claim 22, wherein the one or more controlscomprise: a directional control connected to the motor; a speed controlconnected to the motor; or a multi-mode switch having an automaticoperating mode and a manual operating mode.
 34. The motorized dolly asrecited in claim 22, further comprising: a fitting attached to a bottomsurface of the elongated base to secure the motorized dolly to a tripodor stand; a level indicator attached to or integrated into the elongatedbase or the platform; a handle attached to the elongated base; a set oflegs or rubberized feet attached to a bottom surface of the elongatedbase.
 35. The motorized dolly as recited in claim 22, wherein the motorcomprises a variable speed motor.
 36. The motorized dolly as recited inclaim 22, further comprising a power source connected to the motor,wherein the power source comprises an AC-to-DC adapter, one or morebatteries, one or more photovoltaic cells or a combination thereof.